Pages

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Just Call Me Proud!

Recognition for a job well done comes in many forms. Hollywood has the Oscars and Emmys, science and literature have the Nobel prize, journalists and authors have the Pulitzer, and Genea-Bloggers have… Professor Jonathan Dresner, Ph.D. Professor Dresner received his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University in 1991 and is currently an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Hawaii in Hilo. So what does he have to do with recognizing the Genea-Bloggers you ask? Let me tell you a little story that will explain it all.

I received in e-mail earlier today from Terry Thornton, author of the Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi blog. While following back links to an article he had written on his blog he came across one that led him to a webpage created by Professor Dresner. This particular web page contained announcements and a course syllabus for History 490, otherwise known as Historiography and Research Methods. And there in the Announcements section was a link to Terry's article, Shhhhhhhhhhhhh! Let's not talk about this . . . , an article Terry wrote about having family members on both sides of the conflict back in the Civil War. And just below that is a list of blog carnivals that the professor recommends his students read. And among that list of blog carnivals is… you guessed it! The Carnival of Genealogy!

Now I don't know how you view this, but to me this is evidence that our little merry band of Genea-Bloggers have received an academic stamp of excellence for our genealogy and family history writing. Can you believe it? The carnival of genealogy is recommended reading for a Historiography and Research Methods course. Kudos to us all!

I need to stop for a moment here and thank Terry for sharing this information with me. I suggested he write this up on his blog since it was initially his discovery. But Terry very graciously allowed me to do it. I feel like a proud Mama at this moment. Never in my wildest imagination did I envision the Carnival of Genealogy becoming recommended reading for a college history course when I started it. And I have to tell you all that that is all I take credit for, the initial idea. If it weren't for all of the Genea-Bloggers the Carnival of Genealogy would never have gotten this far. Each and every one of you who have contributed articles to the COG over the past 32 editions are the real stars here. You all come through for me time after time with wonderfully written and well researched articles. You all should stand up and collectively take a bow. Because, if this isn't a testament to the high quality of information we are contributing to the fields of genealogy and history I don't know what is.

I should have kept a list of each and every contributor to the carnival of genealogy since the beginning, but I didn't. If I had, I would thank you each by name right here and now. I'm sorry that I can't. But you all know who you are. Whether you have contributed one article or many you have my heartfelt thanks for your participation in the Carnival of Genealogy. I hope you feel as excited about this as I do. You have earned it! I also want to thank everyone who writes a post to announce each edition thereby promoting the COG throughout the world wide web. And a special thanks goes out to those of you who have hosted the Carnival of Genealogy. We all deserve to feel good about this online genealogy magazine we have created.

Isn't it great that college professors these days are referencing blog articles in their courses? Kudos to Terry for writing an outstanding article that got recommend to this class! And thanks to Professor Dresden and his History 490 class for reading the Carnival of Genealogy!

I've been enjoying the CoG for a while now, and tracking it at the History Carnivals Aggregator(If someone from the CoG wants to join the Aggregator and handle the postiing, I'm more than happy to add them) in hopes of drawing more attention to it from my colleagues.

Terry's article in particular was a great piece to discuss with my historiography students: creative, persistent, revisionist, and great reading. The CoG generally is a very good carnival, and historically fun!

My own research really isn't genealogical in nature, but there are some connections, and just as a general principle I think the academic-genealogical dialogue needs to be broader.

I give you additional credit for the wonderful example you have set in presenting genea-blogger stories once they are written. You describe them in such an enticing way, that COG followers are anxious to read our creations.

For although many of us would still blog without an audience, it is indeed sweeter to know that someone has read them.

I'm also delighted that Terry's article has special mention (or at least a special link). He is a superb writer.

I know this isn't going to add any significant value to what has already been said, but, congrats to Jasia and Terry. And, having the Carnival of Genealogy included as recommended reading for a college-level history class is something that all contributors to the COG can justifiably be proud of - thank you Professor Dresner.